


Forgotten and alone

by derronthedaddyfry



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aromantic Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Cuban Lance (Voltron), F/M, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Hunk (Voltron) is so Pure, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith and Shiro are Adoptive Siblings, Korean Keith (Voltron), Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Langst, M/M, Pidge | Katie Holt is Savage, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Protective Shiro (Voltron), Read at Your Own Risk, Sassy Pidge | Katie Holt, credit to voltronprompts, im sorry, its the middle of the night, klangst, lance is so depressed, pan Shiro, this is a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-10-26 17:56:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10791753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/derronthedaddyfry/pseuds/derronthedaddyfry
Summary: “Muma, Im gonna go get a tattoo!” When lance was younger he was often overlooked by his parents and older siblings. Sometimes it got so bad that lance could start rambling for minutes on end without them noticing. Sometimes, when he realized this, he would start saying some weird stuff just to see if they would notice. They never did, and this hurt Lance, but he didn’t say anything. He said some more things, like “Bye mom I'm off to war” or “I'll be back later, I'm gunna go get my ear pierced” but they most he ever got was “okay honey, have fun!”





	1. Where it all started

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Indifferentpillow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indifferentpillow/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Voltron Prompt](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/287823) by ohwhataprettypinkhat. 



> I suck at writing, im so sorry, this went from a happy thing and then i modified it like a shit ton and yeh,

“Muma, I'm gonna go get a tattoo!” When Lance was younger he was often overlooked by his parents and older siblings. Sometimes it got so bad that Lance could start rambling for minutes on end without them noticing. Sometimes, when he realized this, he would start saying some weird stuff just to see if they would notice. They never did, and this hurt Lance, but he didn’t say anything. He said some more things, like “Bye mom I'm off to war” or “I'll be back later, I'm gunna go get my ear pierced” but they most he ever got was “okay honey, have fun!” 

This continued for months, turning into years. It wasn't until Lance got accepted into the garrison at age 14, that his family started paying attention to him. 

In Lances eyes, space is a funny thing. It's so big and full of stuff that you don't know about, but it makes the Cuban feel so trapped and alone. You would think that living with six other people that if something happened then someone would notice, but that wasn't the case with Lance. Lance figured out that what was happening on earth was happening again. 

“Hey guys! Hey allura, looking great as always aren't we?” Lance looked at the princess, but she didn't acknowledge, no one did. So after of a few minutes of talking, Lance just went and sat in the corner and started ranting to himself. “You know I thought this wouldn’t happen in space. Guess not, guess I'm not smart enough.” Lance knew he was exceptionally smart and talented. He didn't train in the middle of the night for nothing.

This went on for days. Lance would enter a room, say something, and no one would notice. It goes from minutes to hours until someone noticed him and asked him how long he's been there. “A few hours” was his usual response. At meals, Allura would get mad and ask where Lance was before she realised that he was sitting right there. So Lance started his game again. 

“I'm going to go paint Blue bright pink” 

“Ok lance, have fun.” Came the synchronised response. Lance just sat in the corner, grabbing his sketchbook that he had obtained an interest for a few years back. Lance started drawing an old skatepark that he went to when he was younger. Lance finished the drawing after a few hours of several groans and mumbling, as someone finally looked up and jumped to see him there. 

“Lance?! When the fuck did you get here?!” Pidge all but shouted, making the others jump. 

“Oh, a few hours.” The others look confused, as Pidge scowls. 

“Lance, be serious. If you've been here then we would've known.” Shiro mutters as Pidge walks back to their spot on the couch. 

“I am being serious..” Lance mumbles as he stands up. “I'm going to go train now, bye.” Keith scoffs, making the others laugh. 

“Yeah ok, lance” Pidge looks at him as Everyone suppresses a laugh, except Coran. Lance stalks off, fuming. He goes to the training room, plugging in his headphones and grabs a sword. He's mastered his gun skills, now he just needs to master close up range. 

“Level one.” The bot drops quickly.

“Level two.” The bots are discarded, as a dark look passes Lances face. 

“Level 10” The bots would have overwhelmed the team by now, but the young Cuban was a graceful thing, deactivating them all. 

“Level 25” It continued on, lance losing his mask.

“Level 30” Keith watched.

“Level 45” Keith stared at the blue paladin, leaving soon after. 

“Level 50” Lance muttered at the end of the night, sweating.

Lance bounds off to shower, showering quickly before he comes out for breakfast, unnoticed by his team. “Dammit lance where are you?!” Allura groans. 

“Right here.” Came the mumbled answer. 

“Good, you should be on time more often.” Lance eats quickly, ignoring the princess, throwing a few remarks in about he blew up a sun, how he painted his room pink, how he's going to get blue tattooed on his arm, etc. This continued for a few months, trying to find the most ridiculous thing he could say without people actually looking at him. At night he bonded with blue, or trained. 

_____________________________________________________________________

After a few months, Lance got bored with just saying things. So the Cuban changed the rules. The next planet that they went to, he got his ear pierced. After that, lance changed his outfit to be only blues and blacks, and that damned jacket that he now wore around his waist. He kept his old clothes just in case, but never wore them. But again, no one noticed. 

“Everyone to the training deck!” Allura announced, signaling it was time for team training. Lance raced down the training deck, in full armour with his Bayard that transforms into a spear, sword, and a gun. The team had long since gotten past level ten, thanks to lance, but no one realised. “We will start on level fifteen today, paladins.” The team nodded, as Lance groaned quietly. “Is there a problem lance? Is the level too high for your abilities?” Pidge mocked him, earning a few laughs.

As the training sequence started, lance mumbled: “It's not high enough.” After a few minutes of doing the levels with ease, the team finally started to give in at level 25. Lance was the only one who wasn't tired. 

“Paladins! You must work harder! Especially you Lance! Stop slacking off!” Lance mumbled more utterly ridiculous things as the team progressed, only making it to level thirty, relying heavily on Lance even though they didn't realise it. Allura ended the training sequence, grinning. 

“Good job paladins, you worked hard today! Though I have one complaint.” She turned her attention, to Lance, not noticing his change in wardrobe a,d ear piercing. “Lance, you didn't work hard enough! You aren't tired and your team basically carried your weight! I need you to start training on your own to catch up to the others, and I will be keeping track in the logs.” She scolds, earning a sigh from Lance. 

“Yes jiggly worm.” No one noticed the remark as Lance slunk off, running to his room to grab his skateboard and to change. Lance soon changed into his hipster attire, sporting skinny jeans, a black t-shirt, a flannel, and a beanie and converse and Lance cruised to the training deck on his board. The only noise that caught the castle's residents attention was the wheels of the board, but they didn't look up. 

Lance set up the ramps he built long ago, as well as the rails. Lance skateboarded for a little while before the team of Voltron had to go to a new planet. “This planet is full of aliens who have piercings, so please do not panic paladins.” Everyone nodded as they got into their lions. 

“Hey blue, what would you think if i got another piercing?” Lance waited for an answer from Blue, smiling as she sent reassuring purrs. “I’m glad you would love it, beautiful.” The lions landed, and Allura stepped out to greet the leader. 

“We are grateful that you have decided to accept our alliance. I would like to introduce our paladins of Voltron, so you do not assume we are not authentic.” Allura looked at the leader, waiting for him to acknowledge them. He turned, waiting for the introduction. 

“I am Takashi Shirogane, more commonly known as Shiro. I am the black paladin.” Shiro bowed, standing straight as Keith introduced himself next. 

“Keith Kogan, paladin of the red lion.” Bowing, even if he did it clumsily. Oh Keith, didn’t you ever learn courtesy? Lance smirked at the thought, listening to pidge. 

“Oh.” Pidge stuttered, freezing up. “Pidge of the g-green paladin. Wait no I’m the paladin of the green lion!” The young hacker turned bright red, embarrassed. Hunk patted Pidge on the back as they hide behind him ever so slightly. 

“I am Hunk, paladin of the yellow lion!” Hunk smiles sheepishly as the Leader laughs, looking to Lance.

“And you are?” She takes note of his fashion and piercing, liking him the best already. Lance jumped, not realising it was to him already. 

“I’m Lance, paladin of the blue lion.” The tall Cuban offered a slight smirk as he bowed, winking. The Queen blushed slightly, laughing. 

“I’m sorry for his behaviour Ma’am.” Allura tries not to let anger seep into her voice, glaring at lance. 

“Oh no! You could all afford to act like him a bit more! Loosen up!” The queen dismissed them, as Lance grins. He races to the castle to grab his skateboard and money for the piercing, reaching there before the others because of his 6’4, lanky but lean and muscular frame. 

“Act like Lance?! What kind of bullshit is that?!” Keith throws his hands up as the team enters the castle, unknowing that lance was hiding behind the wall. 

“Now keith, she could have meant something else. They’re cultures aren’t very formal, so she could of meant loosen up a bit.” Keith nodded as they passed lance, unknowing. Lance looked to Coran, nodding to the man. Coran was the only person to notice anything changing about lance, and to hear the comments. Lance was often the cause of the older altean to laugh.   
_____________________________________________________________________  
Lance glided through the aliens, that looked oddly humanoid, except for the strangely coloured skin. The aliens watched him, liking the boys style. “Excuse me? Do you know where the nearest piercing shop is?” Lance asked the nearest alien, listening as they give him directions. 

“Go straight a few blocks, turn left and it should be right there.” the alien smiled as Lance said thank you and skated off.


	2. Oh the pity and pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team notices how much lance has changed, and is terrified

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im sorry for any mistakes, point them out in the comments

Lance got the same piercing in his other ear, wincing slightly as the young Cuban trained with the music blasting in his ears.The team still hadn’t noticed his new and apparent changes, but he didn’t care. Keith didn’t notice that Lance was doing better in team training, not even Allura did. She scolded him as always about what he did wrong. Pidge told him to shut up whenever he opened his mouth, so Lance stopped talking when unnecessary. Shiro scolded Lance, but didn’t truly look at him. As for Hunk… Well, Hunk was drifting away from Lance. He started spending more time with Pidge, being nerds over tech. Coran was the only one that noticed Lances changes, being the man he is. 

“Dammit, Lance! You need to focus!” The one day he wasn’t up to par, he gets scolded. “You aren’t improving. Start training on you own.” Allura goes to compliment everyone else, Lance not noticing the dejected look on Keiths face. Keith noticed the new piercings, and change in style. He noticed the improvement of Lances fighting. He noticed that the blue paladin only spoke when being talked to, of course. No one else seemed to. 

Lance stalked off, asking Coran to see when the next planet they would be going to is. “In a few quintents, my boy. Did you get that piercing when we went to Dadí 30 quintents ago?” Lance nodded, being glad that he could at least talk to someone.

“The next piercing I’m planning to get is a lip piercing. The last planets piercing hurt a bit, but I’m not dead yet, so” Coran smiled at the boy he thought of as a son, listening as Lance explained the different piercings he would get.

“-might be getting an eyebrow piercing, a tongue piercing, an industrial piercing, an orbital piercing, and a nose piercing. I’m probably going to get a tattoo of blue as well, and maybe a quote. Even when everyone notices, I’m not going to stop.” Lance watched the person he deemed his father in space, not space dad, who was Shiro, as he talked. Lance and Coran seemed to end up watching the universe a lot together, but Lance didn’t mind. 

 

__________________________________________________

 

Lance bowed to the ruler, his helmet covering his piercings.The aliens here seemed very accepting, but proper.

“We welcome you to our planet, Princess Allura, and Paladins of Voltron. May you introduce yourselves, so we know what to identify you as?” Everyone nodded, looking to Shiro. But the king shook his head, “We will start with the one in the blue armour. He hasn’t spoken at all.” Lance looked up, surprised.

“Me?” His voice was hoarse from lack of use, but still worked. The king nodded, ignoring everyones dumbstruck faces. “I’m Lance, Paladin of the Blue lion. Annual verbal punching bag and casually ignored member.” He mumbled the last part, but Keith and Coran heard, and tensed. 

“Keith, paladin of Red.” The boy didn’t get out much from the anger at the team, but he could see the game that the blue paladin was playing, and chose to ignore. 

Everyone introduced themselves, separating soon after to explore the new planet. Lance was looking for the nearest piercing shop, passing the other paladins, not noticing. Lance found the shop, looking for the piercest, catching their attention. “Hello, how may I help you?” The alien spoke, looking to the boy.

 

“I’m here to get my lip pierced.” 

“Lip? Do you have money?” Lance nodded, and showed the alien his lip, gesturing how and where he wanted it pierced. 

“The sides of the muscle? (snake bites) Sit down then. I’m Jax.” Jax prepped lance and his equipment, not having customers very often. Lance flinched slightly at the poke, but otherwise didn’t move throughout the process. He paid the alien, running back to the castle. 

“Lance, you’re late.” The princess scolded, looking right through him. He nodded, ignoring everyone as he walked to the training deck. They still haven’t noticed. He took his armour off, and plugged in his headphones. The boy trained for hours, not noticing Keith. Keith watched in amazement as lance glided. This continued for months, Lance getting new piercings, even getting a few tattoos, one of a drawing he made of blue, a quote from his mother, and his two favourite marvel characters, Deadpool and spiderman. It wasn’t until they went to a magnetic planet, that they noticed. 

 

_______________________________________

“This planet has a strong magnetic field, so I suggest getting rid of any metal objects and leaving them in your lion.” Pidge pulled up the video feed, the others nodding along. No one noticed as Lance took off his helmet, until Hunk brought attention to it. 

“Uh, Lance? Why are you taking off your helmet?” Hunk barely looked at the Cuban, like everyone else. Keith stared at Lance, gasping, alarming everyone else. 

“Keith?! Are you ok?!” Shiro looked concerned, waiting for an explanation. 

“Look at Lance.” Was all he said. The team stared as they watched the blue paladin to take out his piercings. Lance took his ear piercings out first, putting in retainers so they didn’t close. Lance laughed quietly as everyone took in his appearance, shrieking as Lance took off his top layer of armour to take out his belly button piercing. He knew what their first thought was. Why is he so lean and muscular? He just stays in his room all day to do his skin care! Well, they were wrong. Usually, he’s drawing, doing households workouts, skin care, or redying his hair, that was now black and blue. 

Lance put his armour back on, as Shiro was basically radiating confusion and frustration. “Lance, when did all of this happen?” He tried to keep his voice level, clearly frustrated. 

“Oh, it started a few months after we were sent into space.” Lance replied to his best ability as he took out his last piercing, his tongue piercing. 

“We’re talking about this after this mission.” Lance nodded, getting out of his lion, following the rest of the team, Coran, and Allura to the castle. After they all introduced themselves, and learned how accepting this race was. 

Lance swayed right up to an alien, grinning. “Do you have a name, or can I call you mine?” The alien giggled, blushing. 

“Ah, well. I’m a boy. And I have a boyfriend, but that young alien over there seems to have a crush on you!” Lance nodded, not caring very much that the alien was a boy, and looked to see him pointing at Keith. Oh my god.   
“That is a wonderful thing, sir. I’m sorry for my mistake, I thought you were single.” After that, Lance and the alien soon having a pleasant conversation. Lance learned his name, it was Jaffiti, and his boyfriend joined the conversation some time later. Soon after, Allura announced it was time for bed, and they bid their farewells. 

On his lion, he put all his piercings back, revealing the tattoos the others didn’t notice the first time, the new tattoo of an intricate pair of black, yellow, blue, red and green angel wings across his abdomen. Blue was on the inside of his left forearm, spiderman and Deadpool being on his right. The quote was right next to blue as well. 

“Dammit Lance…” Shiro groaned, ignoring how Lance chose to keep his shirt off. “Allura, we all need to have a talk.” She nodded, not questioning anything.


	3. Noticed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has a discussion, but it goes to shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry guys! School has been kind of stressful, so heres a little filler chapter. There will hopefully be more soon, and during the summer i promise ill update more

Shiro watched the young cuban, carefully. He seemed relaxed, but alert. Only something a soldier can do. He’s so young though. The older man found it disturbing to see how much Lance has changed, personality wise, style wise, and just in general. 

“Shiro, would you mind telling us why you called this meeting?” Allura said stiffly, glancing at Lance quickly. Waiting for the flirty comment that never came. 

“I’ve called it because one of our paladins has changed drastically, without telling us.”

“Cough, Lance, cough.” Pidge muttered from their seat, earning a glare from the cuban. 

“Lance, those piercings are hazardous, and dangerous to missions. You must tell us before you do something that could jeopardise any missions.” Shiro stumbled a bit, seeing the dark look pass over the boys face.   
________________________________________  
Oh fuck no. Did he really just… Lance stood up straight, causing everyone to lean back a bit, scared. “How long have you even had those? It couldn’t of been long, or else we would of noticed.” Pidge looked at him, waiting. 

“Oh you know…. Just a couple of months.” His words were filled with venom, his eyes dark. 

“You do not speak to fellow paladins like that! And Pidge is right, as well as Shiro! You went off, modified yourself drastically, and expected of us to act normal? Thats rude!” Allura didn’t seem to take caution to the now angry Lance, Coran and Keith still slightly calm. 

“Yeah Lance. We would of noticed if they’ve been in for a few months.” Hunk piped up, clearly not paying attention. That’s when Keith lost it, making Lance jump back. 

“Fuck you all! Lance works his ass off, day and night, and never has those piercings cost us anything! He’s had them for a few months now, and was clearly happy, until you shitbags decided to scold him for something that isn’t even wrong! Without Lance, we’d be dead, so just shut your goddamn mouths and fuck off!” Keith was red, but he didn’t care. He just stalked off. 

“He’s right, you know.” Coran muttered, leaving.

“Lance, just stop messing around.” Pidge muttered, Shiro and Hunk nodding, as Allura went to go calm Coran. 

“I’m not.” They all whipped around to see a terrifyingly dark look on the blue paladins face. “Every night I go to the training room, becoming better. Every planet I go to, I get something. I’m not messing around.” Pidge laughed, sending Lance over the edge, causing Hunk to leave, because he knows what an angry Lance looks like. 

“You know, I’m the reason you’re all so successful.”

“Stop spinning lies.” Shiro. Lance couldn’t see through the red. 

“Yeah Lance, you’re just an obnoxious brat.” Shiro glared at her, not hearing Lance walk over to them, and punched them in the face. They deserved it. Though I guess everyone deserves a punch, except Coran and Keith. The cuban stalked off, leaving Shiro to tend to Pidge.


	4. Found out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that this is so short! I'll ty to write longer chapters in the future, but i have sats next week and my girlfriend birthday is coming up. Excuses excuses i know im sorry. On saturday though im free so ill try to write a few chapters or one really long one.

Lance ran to the training room, shaking. The people he actually cared about scolded him for something that’s been happening for months, unfairly. Pidge deserved to be punched in the face, no matter the consequences. He subconsciously opened the door, screaming out the level he was on. He couldn't seem to be able to get past level 60. “Level 50.” The team watched without the blue paladin noticing, amased at how his body glided gracefully through the bots that were rapidly dropping through the ceiling, almost always being destroyed the second they hit the floor. 

 

“Level 60…” He sounded so….exhausted, like he was about to collapse.

 

“End training sequence.” Keith walked over silently, watching the blue paladin carefully, waiting his response.

 

Lance jumped, 1975 blaring from his headphones. “Keith? What do you want? Why are you here?” The team recoiled slightly at his tone, it sounding so broken, and tired. Something a 17 year old boy should never have to experience.

 

_ “ _ _ She said ‘I've got a problem with your shoes and your tunes, But I might move in’ and _

_ ‘I thought that you were straight, now I'm wondering’”  _

Allura looked curiously at the headphones, curious to what the music is. They all move a little closer, allowing Lance to see them. He recoiled and moved a few feet away, face instantly becoming guarded. He slowly inched towards the door, but no one noticed. They were all now noticed on his level. “I didn’t know you could get so high... “ Pidge sighed, gasping as she saw Lance bolt for the door. “Shiro, grab him!” 

The leader stuck his arm out to grab the boy as Lance ran past him, more agile and faster than he was 2 years ago, when they first started this.

 

“I thought that he was just joking around when he said he held us together, but there is no way to reach that level without training for hours on end.” Hunk stutterred a bit, guilty that he hadn't noticed the changes on Lance, his  _ best friend,  _  the boy he grew up with. Two years ago, Lance was happy go lucky, or so Hunk thought. But now, Lance is grown up, and he’s so calm and quiet… It’s scary.

 

“We messed up.” They all muttered, followed by an mhm by Coran. Everyone whipped their heads around to look at the old Altean.    
  


“Coran! You are in this mistake as much as the rest of us! Don’t chuckle!”

 

“Actually, princess, he did notice. He was the only one to listen to me talk about my life, allowing me to tell him about the things I wanted to get. Coran was the only one to notice when I started getting these. He let me fantasise going home, hell, he took me out on a space field trip!” The tall cuban had a dark expression as he walked up to the group, looking slightly more calm. The voltron team never realised how tall their blue paladin was until they really looked at him, and all had to look up at them, even Shiro.

 

Coran whistled as he walked away to make the team food, a small smirk on his face. 

 

“You know, maybe we can talk this out? Peacefully?” Hunk stuttered, still a bit scared of his friend. Could Hunk even call Lance his friend any more? Could any of them?

 

“Fine.” Lance briskly walked away, the others scrambling to follow him to the living room.

 

When they were all seated, save for Lance, who didn’t want to be near any of them, Pidge spoke. “We’re all sorry about what we did, and what we said. It was shitty of us, and we should of known everything.” It was Shiro’s turn. 

 

“I’m sorry for yelling at you for something you didn’t deserve tp be yelled at for, I hope you can forgive me.” Shiro, bowed slightly, without realising it. Everyone else apologized, waiting for Keith. 

 

“I’ll do it later, because i want mine to be heartfelt, unlike yours.” Keith glared at the rest, and then looked to Lance, waiting for his response. 

 

Lance laughed, he laughed like he was insane. “Do you all honestly think that I’m just going to magically forgive you for neglecting me for an entire year?! Ignoring me?! Treated me like I was stupid?! Well, then you’re all crazy.” Lance got ready to leave, but Allura held up her hand, scowling. Everyone was hiding behind Shiro and Hunk, scared. 

 

“Lance, I know what you think you’re doing is excusable, but it’s not! We need to push past your petty differences. And plus, we’re your team! We have every right to scold you!” Keith punched her, purple lines blossoming throughout his skin. She stood up, blood running down her face as Keith stepped back.

 

“We’re a pretty shitty team then! No one noticed how much pain Lance was in for an entire fucking year! Everyone ignored him and verbally abused him! The only reason I noticed anything was because I went to train in the middle of the night! After that I started to notice little things. But I’m still at fault, just not as much as the rest of you assholes.” Lance slunk out after that, Keith following him to the hangers.

 

“Hey babe, how are you? Yeah today was pretty shitty. Keith actually stood up for me today.” Keith left right after that, smiling a little, not hearing the last part. “I never would of guessed the one person who has my heart would of stood up for me.”


	5. Caught

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna go through the last chapter and make it a bit less rushed and more detailed, and maybe upload another chapter so yay! Also, a lot of emotional pain ahead, warning

Lance cried, for the first time in his life he cried. Music blaring through his headphones as he glided through the training androids. He didn’t even realise he was crying, until he saw himself in the castle walls. Lance looked back to the arena,  not knowing what time it was but he didn’t care. He could still hear the voices from his nightmares, propelling him forward. But the cuban didn’t notice the silent korean boy. 

 

“How’s your training going?” Lance whipped his head around, yelping. 

 

“It was going splendid until you showed up.” Came the snarky remark.

 

“Whats the next tattoo you’re gonna get?” Lance looked taken aback at the question but the expression soon went away. He shrugged, standing up. 

 

“I don’t know. But do you want to train with me?” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe Keith expected a little less from Lance, he didn’t know. But the blue paladin was a whirl of black and blue, with Keith barely being able to keep up, if slicing down less advanced robots was keeping up. The quick and focused movements were a reminder to how much of a badass the blue paladin was, and how amasingly beautiful he is. After hours of training, The two boys lied besides each other on the floor, panting. Keith looked at Lance, like really looked at him, wondering what was going through the cubans mind. The red paladin gently poked his side, causing Lance to jump up and roll away instinctively, his long hair flowing away. (y’know i actually forgot to mention this but like the entire crew has shoulder length or longer hair, and they all have undercuts, except keith) The blue paladins black, brown and blue hair swirling around his head, even in its ponytail. “Keith! What the fuck was that for?!” Keith giggled as Lance sat up, his shirt being discarded in the process. He might’ve stared just a tad too long as Lance was waving his hand in front of his face. “Yo, mullet.” He had that stupid grin on his face that Keith loved so much, but hated.  _ God he had it bad. _

 

“I wanted your attention.” Keith smacked his forehead as Lance laughed, standing up and holding a hand to Keith. He turned bright red as the cuban turned around, showing off his muscles unitentionally. 

 

“What for?” Keith blushed, standing up fully, nowhere near as tall as lance. Lance put his hair in a messy bun as he waited for keith to explain.

 

“Why do you do this to yourself?” Lance jumped, shocked.  _ Do what? Be ignored? Be scolded? Risk my life endlessly? Change myself so I’m happy? Do what keith?  _

 

“What do you mean?” Lance jumped around the question, waiting. 

 

“You train yourself to death, and not to mention your mental health. I know shitty mental health when i see it.” Keith shrugs, turning away. 

 

“Well. Good job mate, you stated the obvious. Maybe because it took everyone almost two years to figure shit out? Maybe because I’ve felt just a little alone and abandoned?! And don’t even get me started on when Shiro went missing! I was borderline ignored the entire month, and wasn’t even acknowledged that I left food and water everywhere for everyone, and got people to sleep! And then he came back and I was tossed to the curb even further! So maybe, I’m allowed to be sad, numb, depressed, whatever! Everyone can just fuck off for once? Maybe leave me alone when i actually want to be alone?! But no! The minute everyone noticed my changes I get scolded. All i want is for people allow me to be happy and actually acknowledge me!” 

 

Lance was screaming, crying, and red faced by the end of the rant, and turned around, tears running down his face. Everyone stopped what they were doing the minute they heard the shouting, and eavesdropped, but didn’t expect that from their blue paladin. “Lance….?” Shiro muttered, but he didn’t hear. 

 

“You can fix this by putting him in the healing pod, correct?” Everyone whipped around and glared at the princess, angry. 

 

“Of course not! It’s not a physical injury, it’s a mental injury that we caused!” Pidge hissed as they all stood up.

 

“Pidge is right, we caused this and we need to fix it.” Allura stood there, shocked. Shiro rolled his eyes at his lover, pidge, who was standing next to him. 

 

 

 

Lance sat, crying and screaming thankful for the soundful walls.  _ Useless. Worthless. Replaceable. Idiot. Stupid. Freak. Fat. Give in.  _ Lance screamed louder, so angry. He’s just so  _ done. _ Every time he thought someone appreciated him, he was wrong.  _  Replacement. Not a true paladin. “You’ll never fit in here, just give in already. We both know that you want to…”  _ The voice in Lances head purred, but he screamed again, his long dyed hair whipping around as he got up to go back to the training room. 

 

 

“Does he know that we just saw that? Oh my god… I feel so bad. For like the past year I’ve just been insulting him and shit!” Pidge crawled down from the vent in the blue paladins room, the others following. “Pidge, it’s not just your fault, we’re all the blame here. We all yelled at Lance for what he so clearly has been doing for a year. We didn’t pay enough attention…..” Shiro leaned against the wall, noticing the dent. 

 

“I payed attention, I noticed.” Keith spoke, a dark look in his eye. “I noticed the changes, because I actually pay attention to fucking Lance.” The red paladin stormed off to go train with Lance, leaving the rest in a tense silence. 

 

Hunk stood up straighter, muttering “He’s right you know… Not that you’re a terrible leader, but that we’re a terrible team. We didn’t notice how badly Lance was hurting for a  _ year _ Shiro, we didn’t notice how much he was changing.” 

 

 

 

The music blasted through the training room speakers as Keith and Lance fought eachother. Lance decided to go easy on Keith, or as he liked to call it, “Totally trying my best but you’re just so good at fighting I could never possibly fight you and win” Excuse. Keith knew that is Lance wanted, he could wipe them all out, but he didn’t. As the half galran looked up from the wall to watch the cuban fight the gladiator. Keith was entranced every time he watched as Lances body moved beautifully, but deadly around the gladiator. They had started at a lower level, the level that Keith was on. 

 

“Hey, mullet, do you want to try?” Lance walked over, and Keiths heart fluttered in his chest as he watched his friend,  _ he wanted to be more but Lance was straight,  _ walk over and his lean muscles shift on his lanky frame. 

 

“Sure.” Keith was afraid that if he said any more, he’d might admit his crush to the hurting paladin, and Lance didn’t need that. 

 

 

 

Lance couldn’t get over how well Keiths body was made, and how well he moved it, though he could use a few pointers. After a few minutes, he finally beat the level, and Lance walked over to him, smiling. “That was great Keith! Your punches weren’t as strong as they can be though, which is the only thing I’m critising.”  _ I mean that ass is amazing and those abs are on fleek.  _ Keith nodded, just as the alarms blared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> see now dont get mad at me


	6. Remembered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> theres a little angst but theres also fluff so

“Lance, Keith and I will try to infiltrate the ship from the inside, while Pidge and Hunk will try to destroy Lotor’s ship from the outside.” Lance noticed quite a few holes, but decided not to speak up. Because if he spoke up, he’d only be rejected. But Shiro seemed to think otherwise. “Lance, what do you think of the plan?” Lance snapped  his attention to the video screen that was pulled up.

 

“What?”

 

“He asked if you saw any holes in the plan.” Pidge spoke up, clearly interested.

 

“Oh, well, the ship has a forcefield, and there are no seeable outside entrances to the ship, as well as the ship is bigger and much more complicated than Zarkon’s was. I did a scan right as the ship came into view” Lance spoke the last part as if it explained everything, turning bright red. Hunk, meanwhile looked incredulous.

 

“Even I couldn’t get a scan! How the fuck?!” Hunk exclaimed.

 

“Later. But I suggest we distract the ship, and try to get into the force field. Pidge, can you hack it? Possibly create a breach for me, Shiro, and Keith to get through? If you can’t create one big enough to fit our lions, we can just go through with our jetpacks. Shiro, Keith, make a triangle with me. Hunk, see if you can ram the force field hard enough to damage or crack it. But no one hurt yourself!” Everyone stared at Lance like he grew three heads. When did Lance become such a leader? And why was he all of a sudden the smartest?

 

Everyone listened to the blue paladin, and surprisingly, the plan worked. After a few minutes, Lotor’s (Keith thinks, it might just be a decoy) was destroyed. But the prince himself wasn’t on it. The team was in the common room, debriefing with Allura.

 

“So, Lance. You’re the one who came up with this plan? No one else?” Everyone was sick of her treating Lance like he was the worst, when he _clearly wasn’t. He just came up with a fucking plan on the spot! And he has the highest training level!_ Keith stood up, clearly glaring at her.

 

“Honestly? Lance’s plan had almost no holes in it, he was quick to come up with a plan, the plan worked, we brought the ship down, more so Lance brought the ship down cause he actually speaks fucking galran, because he learned it, did you know he spoke altean too? Did you also know Lance is now at level 70 in the training room? Did you know that he can beat me in hand to hand combat? DID YOU FUCKING KNOW THAT HE IS THE ACTUAL FUCKING BEST OUT OF ALL OF US AND IF HE WASN’T HERE WE SURELY WOULD OF BEEN FUCKING DEAD ALREADY?!” Lance looked like he was about to fall off his chair, like everyone else. Allura just looked like Coran scolded her. If looks could kill, she would already be dead by the way Keith was glaring at her. Before Shiro could calm him, Keith stalked out to go train.

 

 

Lance almost had a heart attack. _Did_ Keith, _the boy who hated me and took my heart, just stand up for me? Again?_ Lance staggered up, the shock still not worn off of anyone. Lance walked out of the room, towards the training room, some of the shock wearing off. He could hear the cries of anger coming from the training room, making the tall man sigh. Lance walked through the training room doors, deciding to watch Keith as he trained.

 

The red paladin moved around, as if he was a tornado. He relied on his speed and agility, not having much grace. “You really should work on that grace part.” Lance emerged from the shadows, in just sweatpants with his hair tied up. He walked over to Keith, with no weapons. “I’m going to teach you grace, ok?” Keith nodded, happy. Lance put on his favourite band, 1975, and walked to the center of the room.

 

“I still can’t believe that you’re a better fighter than me.” Lance giggled, turning bright red. He wasn’t very scary for a 6’4 man with tattoos, long dyed hair, piercings, and a dark look in his eyes.

 

“Your balance is completely off.” The pair started off with that, Lance showing Keith new fighting techniques, helping him become more steady when fighting, teaching him a few hand communications, etc. After about six hours, they were on the ground, exhausted. “You know, thank you for standing up for me, to Allura.” Lance sat up on the mat so he could look at Keith properly. “I never would of been able to.”

 

Keith snorted. “I was sick of the way she kept treating you. And you’re welcome. I think I knocked some sense into everyone else as well, except Coran. Coran is the best.” Lance nodded, lost in thought.

 

“Yeah…. Hey, I need your advice.” Keith sat up, intrigued.

 

“Yeah? Why?”

 

“I have this rather major crush on one of the paladins, and they don’t like me back, but I don’t know what to do.” The red paladin nodded, understanding the same problem. “It’s not Pidge, Hunk, or Shiro either so uhm yeah.” The korean boy didn’t seem to catch on.

 

“Well, how do you know they don’t like you back? They could. What do you like most about them?” Keith pressed, wanting to know who the person who has the boy he loves heart.

 

“Well I like his mullet, his vibrant purple eyes, his pale skin, his protectiveness, how gentle and sweet he can be, and that he’s the red paladin.” Keith growled. Lance was really in love with this man, he’d have to win Lance over.

 

“What’s his name?”

 

“Keith Kogane.” Lance smirked, stood up, and bolted out the door before Keith could register what had just happened. After he realised, he stood up and chased after Lance.

 

“COME BACK HERE YOU LITTLE SHIT I HAVE WORDS TO DISCUSS WITH YOU!” Keith rounded a corner, nearly running into Shiro, but he could see Lance, so Keith shoved Shiro out of the way, running after Lance.

 

“NEVER!” Lance replied, running faster when he realised Keith was close behind. _Jesus fucking christ why can he run so fast, this isn’t even fair._

 

 _“Kitten, nothing is fair. But you must catch Blue’s lion, she won’t stop snickering.”_ Agh, ok. Keith decided to jump off a wall, tackling Lance. By now, the entire crew had seen how fast Lance could run, and were quite shocked.

 

“You know, i love this guy as well. He’s around 6’4, dyed hair, awesome tattooes and piercings, he dresses like he’s a punk all the time, is the best skateboarder ever, and is the blue paladin.” Keith got off of Lance as soon as possible, but the boy was in shock, but he realised soon enough.

 

“GODDAMN IT KEITH GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE MOTHERFUCKER!” Lance soon found Keith, picking him up. “There are more effective ways of saying you love me back, you know.” Lance buried his nose into Keith’s hair, as Keith giggled. Everyone watched amazed, even Allura. This was the first time they have seen their blue paladin truly happy, and they loved it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did you like it? Please comment! Or leave a kudos or some form of feedback please!


	7. not a chapter

There will be one more, really long chapter after this. Im so sorry i havent updated in a really long time as well. The reason was because i actually got grounded, and then i went to Europe and forgot my laptop at home, where everything was saved. So expect one more really long chapter, hopefully at least 8,000 words? Wrapping everything up? Also, this is a trigger warning for everything that will be in the next chapter, as a warning. There will also be smut, fluff, and angst, so be warned! Have a good day everyone! I should be updating in the next week. I also might create a story from everyone elses point of view, or i might create a sequal. Tell me what you all want! I also have another story on the rise so look out for that as well. my tumblr account is [palethanthewhitemountains](https://palethanthewhitemountains.tumblr.com/). 


	8. the sequal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so sorry, this is really rushed. im on a train, and yeah. I kind of just want to wrap this story up, and forget about it. It's not my best work at all. If anyone would like to create a sequal from the story, then please do! Just credit me please! Also, if anyone has any questions about the characters, then you where to reach me. PLease enjoy this much shorter, rushed version of what i wanted to write.

Keith had Lance in a chokehold, and Lance didn’t appreciate this. “What do you want Kogane?!” He was being led towards Keith’s bedroom. Just because he admitted that he loved the boy doesn’t mean he wants to get scolded! Even though Keith did admit his love for him too…. It was probably a joke. No none could love him, the useless, replaceable, loud, stupid, paladin. 

 

A growl came from the back of his mind.  _ You are none of those things! If you think like that I will personally rip apart the castle just to get to you! _ __   
  


“Sorry Blue…” Lance grumbled, as soon as Keith released him. 

 

“What?” The shorter punched in the code to enter his bedroom. 

 

Lance muttered “Nothing” while the door slid open. 

 

As the two entered, Lance noticed the red paladin's bedroom was oddly full of trinkets, like Lance’s. “So, these feelings…”

 

Lance looked up as he leaned against the wall. “I don’t expect you to want to become boyfriends or anything, or wanting to deal with me. So there isn’t really anything to discuss.” Keith looked at him like he grew three heads.

 

“What?! You know i didn’t just confess my love for you to be denied like that because you like you’re worthless!” Keith stood up, glaring at Lance. His shirt was still off, exposing his torso.  _ Oh dear god please don’t get an erection _ . Lance forgot that his was shirtless as well, not knowing how much of a torture is was to Keith. 

 

“Erm……” Lance stood up awkwardly, not knowing what to do, except look at Keith.

 

“No. We will discuss this, and you will not go overwork yourself to the brink of exhaustion! Like you do every fucking day! Your bayard already has like 3 different manifestations, so I think you can chill for like two hours.” Lance was taken back by the gentle outburst, but sat down on his friends bed anyway. After about an hour of bribing, Lance started to talked about how whenever someone made a comment, it really only just made the voices in his head worse. He talked about his family back home, how they would ignore him. He talked about how now, it was happening again. Lance continued talking, losing himself in his words. It was Keith’s turn to talk.

 

_______________________________________________________

 

Two hours later, the two paladins were fairly confident in their now established relationship. Pidge was sure when they heard Lance scream and dance about about.

 

Pidge went to go find Hunk to complain about how Lance being noisy wasn’t helping concentrate.  _ Of course Hunk is in the kitchen… Dear god when does he not bake or cook? _

Ten minutes later, Pidge was sitting on the counter ranting. 

 

“I mean like he’s so annoying! He even got all those piercings and shit without telling us! And now, he’s fucking Keith! Why can’t he just decide to tell us when he’s going to do something? Ugh. Watch this, next, he’s going to be able to speak altean!” Hunk grimaced at the remark

 

Coran decided to walk in at that exact moment, his expression becoming humourous. “Actually number 5, he learned to speak altean within the first year of being here!” Coran grinned at their expressions, and promptly walked out.

 

“What the fuck, Lance? It took me like an entire year to learn the fucking basics!” Pidge got up, clearly going to go find Lance to question him. It only took the small human five minutes to find the 6’4 man. Unsurprisingly, he was still in Keith’s room, thankfully dressed. The pair were comparing memes. 

 

“Ok mister I can learn an entire fucking language in five months! Tell me your secrets. You’re not exactly the smartest so I mean like you have to have some secrets.” Lance stared at them blankly. Keith wasn’t as kind to them barging in. The mulleted man stared daggers into the green paladins soul, but they didn’t care. They could be rude to Lance all they want. He knew it was a joke, Right?

  
  


Lance looked up promptly when Pidge barged in, drawing a picture for his new boyfriend, trying to ignore the darker thoughts.

**_You deserve those cuts. You’re worthless, a freak. Hell, you don’t even deserve blue!_ **

 

_ No. You’re lying.  _ Lance forced himself to smile. “I don’t know Pidge-a-tidge. Learning languages was never particularly difficult for me.” All lance could do was smile. He was smart, right? He did skip a few grades. That qualified as smart. Yeah. He was smart. 

 

**_No you aren’t, jesus fucking christ. Are you stupid? Oh wait you are. Hahahaha._ **

 

“Pidge, that was fucking rude.” Oh, Keith is standing up for him. Cool. 

 

 “I’m like this every day what the fuck are you talking about?” 

 

“Pidge do you not remember what we all talked about? Lance’s mental health is already shitty enough! I know you think that nothing is happening, but every time you insult him, he only gets more sad!” Keith was panting at the end of his rant, his skin slowly turning purple. 

 

The green paladin backed up slowly, looking at Lance. “Sorry…” They ran from the room, to probably tell Shiro. 

 

A few hours later, everyone was gathered in the lounge. “So, we’re going to to talk about how Lance has been treated.” Keith hummed besides Lance, playing with the Cubans long hair. 

 

“Recently, it has come to attention that Lance has had a few changes. Secondly, we, as a team, decided to degrade him for it. When he has clearly dealt with them for such a long time. We will also support any other changes that he decides to make.” Shiro sat at the head of the couch, waiting for someone else to speak up. 

 

“I feel really bad… I’m supposed to be his best friend but yet I haven’t really seen him in a year. I’m sorry Lance.” Hunk looked so sad, lance couldn’t help but to forgive his friend. MOstly. They still all some work to do. 

 

“This turned into what had happened at the garrison, I’ll make sure it won’t happen again Lance, Please forgive me?” Pidge sat up, and looked at the person they considered to be their older brother. It went on like that, a few comments about healing pods thrown in by Allura. 

 

They still had a long way to go, but Lance was willing to work with them, and eduacate the princess. 

  
  
  
  


_________________________________

  
  


It was now a year later, and they’ve defeated Zarkon and Lotor. In that time, Lance has split his tongue, and got ear pointing. Keith isn’t complaining about the split tongue. It proves to be useful in bed, and it’s entertaining watching lance do tricks with it. The paladins are heading to earth now, to talk with the government. They’ll return to space to free the remaining planets, and arrest the Galra who had Zarkon. 

 

Lance and Keith were jittery, as Shiro and Matt held hands. In that year, they had managed to rescue the rest of the holt family. As the Castle of Lions lowered onto the  desert where they found Blue, everyone cheered. 

 

“We’re home!” Everyone screamed, as Coran and Allura took in the earth. It wasnt very different from Altea, just a bit less technology like. As soon as they doors were open though, the GArrison troops rushed in and attempted to attack the paladins.

 

“Oh dearest Iverson, you can’t defeat us.” Lance taunted around his old mentor, grinning. Everytime Iverson almost grabbed the taller, he would jump out of the way. Everyone else with their prisoners grinned. Finally Lance got tired, and knocked out Iverson. They decided to just visit their families instead. And thus, everyone was freed, and almost happy, Except for the PTSD. 


	9. not an update

hey everyone! its been a while i guess?now that school is out and shit, ive decided to rewrite this story. Like fill in the plot holes and change it up a bit, so its not so choppy and stuff. but like only if you want me to. so if its wanted, ill need a beta, you all know my tumblr, so ah. But yeah! i hvae a kind of different plot? but not really? so tell me what i should do because quite literally all i am is an angsty teen boy with no writing experience


	10. the updated story will b up soon

The new story is going to be called Why don't you notice me? it will be under similar tags and ill post another chapter of this story linking th story. My instagram is transfuckingtastic so if you would like to contact me to be my beta reader or something, contact me on there! It should also be up in a week or two at most


	11. Chapter 11

[here is the lovely new fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11658618/chapters/26232795)! as you might see, there are a few changes to the plot, and its a bit more detailed.

**Author's Note:**

> so many things im sorry


End file.
